The electronics industry is constantly seeking lower cost, faster methods to assemble electronics equipment and faster methods to bring new products to market, all of which the current invention facilitates. In addition, the industry desires doing so with less environmental impact. Most traditional electronic component assembly methods utilize solder and thus expose many of the components and parts used in electronic assemblies to the melting point of the solder which is typically in the range of 180° C. to 250° C. The current invention eliminates the need to expose electronic components to these temperatures and thus broadens the number of components, materials and methods that can be used in such assemblies as well as the materials and methods used to manufacture the components themselves.
In addition, in recent years legislation (particularly the RoHS regulations) has been enacted in a variety of locations that require the elimination of certain materials and elements from electronics products. Among those to be eliminated is lead, a major constituent of conventional solder, which the current invention need not utilize.
Finally, the industry desires to build devices for lower cost, which can be accomplished by eliminating assembly steps, processes and parts such as circuit boards and enclosures. In addition, this invention broadens the selection of parts that may be incorporated to include parts made with potentially lower cost materials that are unable to tolerate conventional soldering temperatures.